All 11 countries on the UK’s travel red list will be removed as the system has become “less effective in slowing the incursion” of the Omicron variant, the health secretary has announced.
Sajid Javid told the Commons the nations will be removed from 4am on Wednesday, so arrivals will no longer have to isolate in a government-approved quarantine hotel for two weeks at the cost of £2,285.
The 11 countries currently on the red list are: Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
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2:29 Life inside a quarantine hotelTemporary testing measures for everyone arriving in the UK from overseas will remain for now.
AdvertisementHowever, Mr Javid said he has asked for “urgent advice” about whether people currently in hotel quarantine can be released.
He said in the past they have been required to fulfil their quarantine period, but indicated he did not want to see that this time.
More on Covid-19 Related Topics: COVID-19CoronavirusSajid JavidtravelWhen asked whether people currently in hotel quarantine would be reimbursed, Mr Javid said: “I would love to stand here right now and just say that is the case, but there are some issues that need to be resolved, and they are urgently being looked at.
“I hope we can say something more on this as a government, potentially even as early as today.”
4:30 What can the UK learn from South Africa?Soon after Mr Javid made the announcement, British Airways owner International Airlines Group’s shares went up 1.7% while TUI’s rose by 2.6%.
Tim Alderslade, CEO of Airlines UK, representing UK-registered carriers such as BA, said removing those countries from the red list “makes complete sense” but he said it “doesn’t go nearly far enough”.
“If the red list isn’t necessary given that Omicron is established here at home, then neither are the costly emergency testing and isolation measures imposed on even fully vaccinated travellers,” he added.
He called on Mr Javid to scrap testing and said this is “make or break for UK aviation” as he warned if the restrictions are not reduced over the new year, the government “will need to step in with further economic support” for the aviation industry.
ABTA, which represents the travel industry, called the red list removals “a sensible step” but also urged the government to remove the temporary testing requirements and to come up with a plan for the sector for future variants, including transition arrangements for the red list so people overseas when that country is placed on the list can quarantine at home in the UK.
Image: British Airways’ owner’s shares rose on the announcement but industry leaders have called for more help for aviationSince 7 December, all travellers arriving in the UK have had to take a pre-departure COVID-19 test a maximum of 48 hours before they depart.
All passengers, whether fully vaccinated or not, also need to take a day two PCR test after arriving in the UK, and must self-isolate until they test negative.
The Omicron variant first emerged in South Africa in early November and quickly spread to neighbouring countries, then to nations around the world.
The red list was designed to halt variants entering the UK, but modelling from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows Omicron is currently infecting 200,000 people a day in the UK.
Mr Javid said on Monday the variant now represents more than 20% of cases in England.
He also added that Omicron, thought to be much more transmissible than previous variants, represents more than 44% of infections in London, and it is expected to become the dominant variant in the capital by Thursday.
